Chapter 390: Chapter 220: Can Chicken Breast Actually Be This Delicious? The TV Station’s Invitation! [Seeking Monthly Ticket]
"Spicy Chicken Shreds?"
Shen Guofu’s eyes instantly lit up. "Hey! That’s a real classic dish."
Shen Baobao, who had been eavesdropping, asked curiously, "Isn’t that the stage name in a comedy sketch? It’s actually a dish?"
Shen Guofu said with a smile, "You wouldn’t know, my girl. Back in the day, when meat was scarce, a lot of dishes were made with chicken breast, like Sauce Burst Chicken Cubes, Cold Noodle with Shredded Chicken, Cold Shredded Chicken, Spicy Chicken Shreds..." He listed a bunch of dish names as if reciting treasures from his memory.
Then, he sighed sentimentally. "It’s been almost twenty years since I last ate Spicy Chicken Shreds. Time really flies!"
In the past, after closing his stall, he would order Spicy Chicken Shreds at the entrance of an alley, along with two bottles of beer, enjoying the crispy, spicy chicken with his beer. Sometimes, when bumping into Tan Yajun, they would add a plate of peanuts. The two of them would drink and chat, feeling utterly content. In a blink of an eye, so many years had passed. He could no longer find the simple pleasure of sitting on a stool at an alley entrance, enjoying beer to his heart’s content.
Thinking of this, he said to Lin Xu, "There’s no time to delay. Let’s get started quickly and make plenty. Your mother-in-law is sure to love it too."
"Alright, Dad, I’ll go get ready now."
On his way to the kitchen, seeing Shen Baobao idling around, Lin Xu suddenly remembered that it had been two or three days since he last updated his videos. Addressing the girl, he said, "Baobao, you’ll film a bit later. I plan to update a video."
Now, if more than two days passed without him posting a video, the army of followers would flood the Lin Ji’s Food topic page with comments like, "Grandpa, the UP host you’re following forgot to update again," leaving Lin Xu speechless. He planned to take some time to shoot ten or twenty dishes in one go, to stockpile a wave of drafts for later.
Upon hearing they were going to shoot a video, Shen Baobao immediately ran gleefully to fetch the tripod, fill light, and the accompanying action camera.
As long as I can help Xu Bao, I’m really happy!
In the kitchen, Aunt Liu was preparing dinner. Seeing Lin Xu come in, she asked curiously, "Are you not satisfied with the welcome dinner today?"
Lin Xu hurriedly explained, "No, no, my father hasn’t had Spicy Chicken Shreds in a long time. I’m making some for him to try."
Hmm, the part about my mother-in-law forcing me to do calisthenics should be cut out. It’s best not to spread it. Otherwise, it would badly affect the image of my father-in-law as a glorious, upright, and domineering business tycoon.
The ingredients needed for making Spicy Chicken Shreds were very simple. First was a whole piece of chicken breast, then shreds of dried chili that had been vertically cut, as well as Scallion and Ginger, Sichuan peppercorns, and a coarser chili powder.
After laying out these ingredients on the table, filming began. Lin Xu introduced the ingredients. Then, holding the chili powder, he said, "Those who can handle spice can choose highly spicy dried chilies like Chili Kings, Lantern Peppers, or Bullet Heads. For those who can’t handle much heat, use Northwest mild chilies."
After discussing the ingredients, he started boiling water in a pot. He then placed the prepared chicken breast in, adding the Scallion and Ginger, Sichuan peppercorns, and Cooking Wine, and began the cooking process. When making shredded chicken dishes, the chicken breast first needs to be cooked until it’s just cooked through. Only then can the chicken breast be shredded into strips, or "chicken shreds."
While the chicken breast was boiling, Lin Xu took the camera and filmed several close-up shots around the pot, leaving Shen Baobao in awe. She had been desperately learning how to film recently but was still a long way off from the level of her dear Xu Bao. For example, when filming the boiling chicken breast, Shen Baobao thought a few seconds of footage of the pot and the meat inside would be enough. But Lin Xu first filmed the flames for a few seconds, then moved the camera horizontally, imitating a slider track movement to capture the flames licking the bottom of the pot. Finally, he pointed the lens at the gently simmering water in the pot and filmed for a few more seconds. This not only made the scene more dynamic, but the horizontal sliding of the camera also created a sense of time passing.
Before long, the water in the pot came to a boil, and a lot of white foam appeared. He carefully skimmed off the foam with a spoon and then continued to boil the chicken for about ten more minutes. The chicken breast shouldn’t be overcooked. If it was, it would become mushy and fall apart, which would significantly compromise the texture.
After ten minutes, Lin Xu poked the chicken breast with chopsticks. No blood emerged, indicating that the meat was cooked through and ready to be removed from the pot. He scooped out the chicken breast with a slotted spoon and plunged it into an ice bath.
"Boiled chicken breast must be cooled quickly. This makes the meat more tender and improves the taste. If possible, add some ice cubes. This will make the texture even better."
In the living room, Han Shuzhen carried Dundun around the house. Upon returning, she saw Shen Guofu looking restless and asked curiously, "You went to all this effort to have Xiao Xu come over for dinner. You didn’t make him cook a big feast, did you?"
"As if I would dare! You said to eat chicken breast, so we’re using chicken breast for the dishes. I wouldn’t dare eat anything else."
Seeing her husband looking so well-behaved, Han Shuzhen was somewhat incredulous. "Really?"
"Really. Xiao Xu is cooking with chicken breast for me right now. When it’s ready, you’re not allowed to fight me for it."
"Chicken breast? What’s there to fight over? When it’s done, you can have it all. I won’t eat a single bite."
After speaking, Han Shuzhen, holding Dundun, approached the grand piano in the corner of the living room. She pressed a few keys, and the melodious notes of "Butterfly Lovers" filled the space. Listening to the sound, Dundun’s eyes instantly bulged like brass bells. It couldn’t believe this thing could actually make noise. It twisted its body and tapped a few keys with its paws, and the pleasant piano music immediately turned into discordant noise.